Echague, Isabela – The Provincial Government of Isabela is offering an additional P6 per kilo for the first 50 bags of paddy rice farmers of the province sell to the National Food Authority.
Isabela Governor Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, during the consultation I held with rice farmers in Echague said the provincial government will also utilise its dump trucks to haul the farmers produce to the NFA buying stations.
These twin moves, along with an existing No-Collateral, No-Interest Loaning Program it is offering to farmers, makes provincial government of Isabela a model which LGUs in rice production areas of the country should emulate.
On the part of the Department of Agriculture (DA), I offered the rice farmers of Isabela and Nueva Ecija, which I visited yesterday following the trip to Echague, the Agriculture and Fisheries Machinery and Equipment (AFME) loan program which they could access to buy mechanical dryers and even trucks.
The DA has also committed to provide Moisture Testers to every rice farmers association so that they do not need to go to the NFA buying station to check whether their palay passed the Moisture Content requirements.
The rice farmers were also assured that the NFA, even with its mandate simplified to just establishing buffer stocks, will continue buying their produce at P17 per kilo “clean and dry” with an additional incentive of P3.40 for individual farmers and P3.70 for cooperatives and associations.
Using the “Rolling Buffer Stocking” System, the NFA will be able to procure farmers’ produce every harvest season as it will release to the market stocks in excess of the 30-Day Buffer required by the new law.
The distribution of NFA rice will also continue because of the “Rolling Buffer Stocking” System where stocks will be released on a “First-In, First-Out” basis to protect the buffer stocks from spoilage.
The farmers were also briefed on the proposed National Fertilizer Support Program, which they loudly applauded, and the Solar-Powered Irrigation System Project being offered by the Israeli Government through a leading agro-industrial corporation.
The lessons learned in Isabela yesterday showed that with closer cooperation between agencies of government, help could be extended to the agriculture sector in the country.
(Photos by Hector Tabbun and Victor Calderon)
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